Inanimate Chimera
Inanimate Chimera Inanimate chimera are the building blocks of the Dreaming. They may be the dreams of cloth, silver, or stone that appear in the Dreaming or in the mundane world (though they are still invisible to non-fae). Inanimate chimera may result from the dreams of changelings or from the singular or collective dreams of humanity. They may be the creations of chimerical creatures (webs left by spider Nervosa), or changelings may spin them from near-nothingness with certain Arts and treasures. Kithain artisans may mold these materials into clothing and weapons. Inanimate chimera may be semi-formed raw materials or may be fully-realized pieces of art. Almost every piece of creative work on Earth has its chimerical counterpart. Only those works imbued with true creativity, though, maintain their integrity in the Dreaming for long. (Thus, a cathedral has far more "reality" as a chimerical construct than does an O'Tolley's restaurant.) Inanimate chimera that have little integrity succumb to Banality quickly, while those that spring from highly creative sources may last for centuries. The dream of the creators of the work are often the strongest force behind a chimera. It is the dreams of those who appreciate the work, though, that keep it alive after the artists' death. Thus, even a chimerical O'Tolley's might rebuild itself continuously as new customers come through its doors, but its existence is always a poor one at best. Inanimate chimera are not always art-related, but may spring from humanity's collective unconscious. Thus, chimerical metal may exist in an imagined mother-lode" near a mining community. Chimerical food may come from the desperate dreams of a starving child or from the dream-harvest of a successful Boggan farmer. Changelings who wish to gather dreamstuff for the creation of chimerical items must "mine" it from the Dreaming, much in the way humans gather raw materials in the mundane world. Types of Inanimate Chimera Incidental Chimera Incidental Chimera constitute the majority of chimera in the mundane world. They are stray dreams, detached from the main body of the Dreaming. They sprout up in an unpredictable and hodgepodge way on Earth, but are invisible to mundane people. Chimera that grow in the real world seem to have all the "reality" of chimera found in the Dreaming. An Incidental tree may have the solidity of a real tree to a changeling in the mundane world but, once removed from its growth site (the place where it was originally dreamed into existence), the incidental chimera succumbs to Banality quickly, breaking apart like wet cotton candy. A changeling may use an Incidental tree branch as an impromptu weapon while in an Incidental forest, but the branch would not serve very well as a walking stick once the changeling leaves the woods. Incidental chimera are usually brittle and have little value as raw materials for crafted or forged items. These chimera are born into the hostile Earth, and Banality infects them at the root. Even if a changeling brought an Incidental chimera into the Dreaming, it probably wouldn't last long (though a changeling may nurture an Incidental chimera, transforming it into a Dreamed chimera with repeated transfusions of Glamour). Icons, Objects, and Places Household items, such as luxurious pillows and draperies, fancy utensils and tablecloths, intricately patterned carpets and comfortable chairs may all be chimerically created. While these may be given chimerical aspects to hide the more mundane objects underneath, many are no more than the stuff of dreams given shape. While these changes and creations are not normally visible to the unenchanted mortal, so long as changelings are the only ones to use them, it makes little difference if these items are "fully real yet". Likewise, entire buildings may be enhanced by fae Glamour, taking on the trappings of chimerical abodes, welcoming havens and friendly gathering places. More fanciful places, such as a castle under a lake, may be made up entirely of Glamour, dreamed into existence and sculpted by masters among the fae craftspersons and architects. Such dwellings cannot be seen or felt by those who have not been enchanted. They are not often constructed in places where mundane foot traffic is frequent, lest a Banality-laden mortal stroll through, bringing them crashing to the ground. These creations are generally short lasting if created in the Mundane world, as proximity to banal humans tend to fade them away into the Near Dreaming. They generally become more permanent fixtures within Freeholds or the Dreaming itself. Dreamed Chimera Dreamed Chimera are the most common type of Chimera in the Dreaming, but are relatively rare in the mundane world. Few changelings know why one newborn chimera becomes an Incidental chimera and another has a more rich and solid existence as a Dreamed chimera. Sometimes a Dreamer's creation may take root only in the mundane world, and sometimes only in the Dreaming. Some may exist in both realms, creating two aspects of the same chimera that take on separate but mysteriously connected lives. Dreamed chimera have a far more independent and permanent existence than Incidental chimera, but they are still susceptible to dissolution by Banality in the mundane world Dreamed chimera are less "infected" by Banality than their Incidental counterparts. Changelings may use Dreamed chimera as raw materials in crafted or forged items. Inanimate Dream chimera tend to keep their cohesiveness as long as no one drastically changes their original Dreamed form. Thus, a changeling may use a Dreamed tree branch as a walking stick, and may even trim a few twigs off of it to make it more serviceable. However, if the changeling tries to carve the branch into an ornate walking stick, it is no longer a branch as envisioned by the Dreamer and dissolves quickly unless crafted or forged. A changeling who wishes to craft or forge a chimera usually obtains their materials from the Dreaming instead of using Incidental materials from Earth. The more rare the item, the deeper into the Dreaming the changeling must usually go to find it. Truly rare items and materials can become the foci of major quests. The recent opening of trods into the Near Dreaming upon the sidhe's return has precipitated a building boom unprecedented since the Sundering. Voile Voile, or chimerical clothing, is the most common example of Dreamed Chimera, and is an integral part of a changeling's fae mien. A changeling may create chimera of various sorts spontaneously during their Chrysalis. These "items" are usually distorted dream images from the fledge's past lives or subconscious reflections of their faerie nature. A new changeling's first action is often the instinctual creations of garb, seemingly from thin air. These chimera are personal and attached to the changeling, and are thus Dreamed, not Incidental, chimera. This first suite of voile is usually an accurate indication of the changeling's kith and seeming. Thus, a redcap may appear in tattered leathers and a white cap (which turns red when they first spill blood); a sidhe may appear in court finery. The player may decide what this first suit of voile looks like, but the clothing confers no special powers unless the player buys it as a Treasure Background during character creation. Voile is typically permanent as long as its creator possesses it. A suit of armor voile dreamed by a fledgling troll is a permanent part of their ensemble. If the troll loses this armor, though, they probably need to seek out a nocker to forge them a new suit. Crafted Chimera Crafted Chimera are those that have been altered from their original form through traditional crafting methods. A changeling may work chimerical metal, leather, wood, and more fantastic substances (dragon scales, true silver) in the same way that human artisans work mundane materials. To do this, the changeling must first gather the appropriate chimerical materials (preferably Dreamed chimera), and the player must spend a point of Glamour. A Dexterity + Crafts roll (difficulty and number of successes vary) is made to work the chimera into its desired shape. Chimerical materials are difficult to work with, however, and few changelings are able to do so. Of all the kith, only boggans and nockers (and presumably sidhe of House Dougal) have much skill; the difficulties of all other kith trying to craft chimera are increased by one to four. (Incidental chimera are even more difficult to work with.) Crafted chimera are rarely manipulated beyond the level of simple mechanical devices, and are still vulnerable to Banality in their new forms as they were in their old. Forged Chimera Forged Chimera are the rarest of inanimate chimera because only nockers can make them. The nocker Birthright (Forge Chimera) allows them to transmute chimera in a fundamental level, forging them into hardier forms of dreamstuff. Forged chimera are resistant to the forces of Banality (difficulties are reduced by two on all rolls involving Banality), and are not connected to single changelings in the manner that voile are. Nockers can create Forged chimera that are complex mechanical devices that do not even resemble their original materials. Bigger projects (such as chimerical castles or ships) are usually assembly-line projects; nockers forge the materials and other fae put them together. ' ' Composition The metaphysical composition of the Dreaming, and of chimera in particular, is a mystery that baffles the most learned of fae. To those who can perceive chimera, most appear as solid and as "real" as objects in the Autumn World, Changelings can perceive chimera with all five senses. By definition, chimera are constructs of Glamour energies, made manifest through the will of fae and mortal Dreamers. More dense than mere thought, a chimerical substance physically interacts with those attuned to its presence. Even the most ethereal chimera consists of a coarser material than pure Glamour does. This is an advantage in some ways and a disadvantage in others. Because chimera are of a heavier and sturdier substance than Glamour, they can withstand the mildest abuses of Banality. In fact, their physical nature results from the limited application of Banality to the Dreaming. True Glamour is the ultimate antithesis of static form. Glamour touches Dreamers, who in turn create chimera, but Banality influences those Dreamers as well. Thus they create chimera based on the Autumn world perspective, no matter how distorted their vision may become in the Dreaming. The Nockers have some interesting theories on the "particles" of Glamour. See the article Monad for more.